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The TOWERS ON THE RISE 48 PAGES WEA SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015 THER FORECAST GREATER HAMILTON $1.70 inc GST TODY artly cloudyA: P , chance of drizzle, max 14 SUNDY artly cloudyA: P – Page 48 , max 15 GLENTHOMPSON Bricks owner Simon Henry (right) overlooks his quarry and discusses with Lowan MP Emma Kealy a State Government demand for an extra $230,000 rehabilitation bond that has forced him to cease excavation and put off workers. Photo: JUDY DE MAN. HIT A BRICK WALL REX MARTINICH GLENTHOMPSON Bricks quarry and brickworks has been pushed to the wall by a State Government demand that it pay almost $230,000 cash upfront after being reclassifi ed an ‘open cut mine’. A bureaucrat’s spreadsheet has ended a 110 year tradition of manufacturing bricks from Glenthompson’s own clay, all proudly stamped ‘GLEN’. The small town now stands to lose four jobs, three full-time and one part-time, which have been held by the same workers for 28 years, 17 years, three years and fi ve years, respectively. The brickworks, which describes itself as a ‘boutique’ supplier of bricks and pizza ovens, has been negotiating with the State Government over regulatory issues since 2012. Stop using clay A statement from Brickworks owners Simon and Michelle Henry said “pressure and newly enforced regulation from government bodies have forced the Henry’s to make the decision to stop using clay from their 110-year-old source mine because it would be too costly to conform to the new standards being imposed upon them.” “Glenthompson Bricks will use its vast stores of boutique bricks to continue to make their iconic outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens nonetheless the business will be down sized and on all accounts local residents will see the end of an era in manufacturing for Southern Grampians Shire,” the statement said. “Essentially, the most worrying aspect of this story for the owners is how a viable, 110-year-old business could be forced into a restructure by a government agency without viable opportunity for recourse. “We are proud to own and run a business that has supported and helped build Hamilton, Victoria and Australia over many years and very thankful for all those people who have bought Glenthompson Bricks.” The Henrys said their work plan has been in place since November 1992 with a rehabilitation bond outlay varying from $8000 to $18,000, currently standing at $14,500. Begs the question A subsequent Department of State Development and Business Innovation (DSDBI) review added “an increase of $229,500 to $244,000 to meet up with today’s requirements”. “This fi gure was calculated off a table used for open cut mine operations,” the Henrys said. “All of which begs the question: what is the intention of these Government bodies with concern to this local business? “In the fi rst interview with the DSDBI representative, the department claimed that they had no intentions of closing small businesses down.” Given options A spokesperson for Victorian Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the brickworks had been given options and had not yet received an enforceable notice for the new bond. 150514jd020 INSET: GLENTHOMPSON Bricks owner Simon Henry looks out over the quarry where he sources clay for local brick manufacturing, which has now been shut down by State Government bureaucracy. Photo: JUDY DE MAN. 150514jd017 “The rehabilitation bond was reviewed in 2012 and found to be signifi cantly insuffi cient to cover site rehabilitation should the business cease operations,” the spokesperson said. “Rehabilitation bonds are a regulatory requirement to reduce liability to the Government, and therefore the public, of having to cover the costs of site rehabilitation if an operator abandons a site. “Following the bond adjustment in 2012, the Glenthompson Bricks was given the alternative option to undertake progressive rehabilitation at the site and reduce their bond liability. They have not pursued this option. “The department has advised Glenthompson Bricks has not been issued with an enforceable notice by the Regulator to comply with the higher bond rate.” Find a solution Lowan MP Emma Kealy said it was within Ms D’Ambrosio’s power to fi nd a solution. “Glenthompson Bricks is a great small business and important local employer for the Glenthompson community,” Ms Kealy said. “Since meeting with the owner last week I’ve been working to negotiate a better agreement for Glenthompson Bricks that takes into consideration the pre-existing mining activities and the relatively small scale mining operation at the site. “At the end of the day it’s the Minister that sets the rehabilitation bond. As soon as I gather all necessary information I’ll be contacting the relevant Minister to outline this case including the crippling bond increase, and ask for intervention to save this local small business.”